The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that university lecturers are as much victims of the current education crisis as students are, blaming the Federal Government for the lingering issues affecting the university system.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Prof. Chris Piwuna, ASUU’s National President, said the union’s members see themselves as victims of government neglect, adding that the ongoing industrial dispute reflects the state’s failure to prioritise education.
This comes barely 24 hours after ASUU declared a two-day warning strike to press home its long-standing demands, which include improved funding for universities, payment of earned academic allowances, and implementation of past agreements with the government.
“Both Nigerian students and the lecturers are victims of government inaction and several other things,” Piwuna said.
“So, we see ourselves as victims of this government the way students see themselves as victims of what is going on.”
The ASUU president, however, maintained that the union remains open to dialogue with the authorities, despite expressing disappointment over the government’s handling of the situation.
“It is not my plan to respond to what the Minister of Education said that the federal government has met all our plans,” he said.
“He’s a minister appointed by President Bola Tinubu. He’s our boss, but we need to work hand-in-hand.”
Okay.ng reports that the latest standoff between ASUU and the Federal Government has revived fears of another prolonged shutdown in Nigerian public universities, similar to the eight-month strike in 2022 that disrupted the academic calendar nationwide.
